Dough cutter



- y 6 1939. A. s. T. LAGAARD 2,158,463

nouen CUTTER Filed Jan. 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Alexa-cider SIT. Laga ard May 16, 1939. A LAGAARD 2,158,463

DOUGH CUTTER Filed Jan. 51, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III VII/III,

I I VIII/(III! Alexander 5T. Lagaard Patented May 16, 1939 Z,158,4

STATES QFFECE 14 Claims. (Cl. 10714) My invention relates to dough cutters and par- Fig. 2 is an elevational sectional view taken on ticularly to cutters used for cutting annular forline 2--2 of Fig. 1. mations of dough, such as doughnuts and the Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, taken on line like. 33 of Fig. l. An object of the invention resides in providing Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, of a modifi- 5 a dough cutter which will be simple in construccation of the invention. tion and positive in operation. My invention resides in a dough cutter which Another object of the invention resides in promay be applied to any type of doughnut machine. viding a dough cutter in which accurately meas- This cutter is particularly applicable to a maured quantities of dough can be repeatedly sevchine such as shown in the co-pending applica- 1o ered from the mass of dough. tion of Peter J. Toews, Serial Number 114,395, A still further object of the invention resides tiled December 5, 1936 for Doughnut machines. in providing a dough cutter constructed with a Since this invention is directly associated with a cylinder and with a valve mechanism for conportion only of the structure shown in said aptrolling the entry of the dough in to the cylinder plication, so much thereof as will be needed to 15 and other valve mechanism for controlling the describe the present invention will be shown, refextrusion of the dough from the cylinder and erence being had to the said application for patin further providing a single operating member ent for further details of the remainder of the for simultaneously operating said valve mechdoughnut machine. anisms in alternation. The doughnut machine, with which the in- 20 Another object of the invention resides in provention is illustrated, comprises a case 50 which viding a dough cutter in which the dough is uniis constructed with a rear wall ii, side walls 12 formly drawn in into the cylinder and uniformand a front wall, not shown. These walls are ly extruded therefrom. attached to angle iron legs it, one of which is An object of the invention resides in provid shown in Fig. 2. The upper ends of these walls a sleeve for the above noted pose and in arhave secured to them angle iron frame members, ranging said sleeve concentric with the said 0571- the member attached to wall ii being indicated inder. by the reference numeral M. Supported in the Another object of the invention resides in utic is is a pan l5, which is constructed with lizins an annular p n isp Within said vertical walls l6 and a bottom it which form a inder and slidably receiving said sleeve. way i8 along which the cooking liquid travels. A still further object of the invention resides The way i8 is provided with a number of reaches in constructing the piston so that operating which have not been shown in this application mechanism therefor may be attached to the same and the doughnut cutter forming a feature of at the lowermost portion thereof and preferthe invention is attached to the machine in such 35 ably at a locality below the lower end of the a manner as to discharge the cut dough in one 11 of the reaches of the way is. The uppermost Another object of the invention resides in conportion of the pan it has attached to it a table structingthe sleeve so that the operating mechis which is supported on the frame members it anism therefor may be connected to the lower and secured thereto. The cooking liquid is portion of the same and preferably below the progressed through the way it of pan 65 by lower end of the piston. means of an impeller, not shown, which causes A feature of the invention resides in constructcirculation of the cooking liquid through the maing the valve mechanisms, the operating mechchine and which causes the doughnuts deposited d anisms'and the piston so that the parts may be by the cutter to be progressed through the maeasily and readily Withdrawn from the cylinder chine at the proper rate oi' speed. At a suitable and disassembled. position in the way iii the doughnuts are turned Other objects of the invention reside in the over and at the end of the way the finished novel combination and arrangement of parts and doughnuts are removed from the machine, all as in the details of construction hereinafter illusdisclosed in said application for patent or" Peter 50 trated and/or described. J. Toews.

In the drawings: The case it has attached to it a bracket 2! Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a which is constructed with a flange 22 extending doughnut machine illustrating an embodiment along the rear wall H of said case and with a of my invention applied thereto. base 23 overlying the table 59 and frame member 55 i i. The base 23, of bracket 2!, rests upon a bar 24 overlying table i9 and is secured to the said bar and frame member by means of bolts 25. The flange 22, of bracket 2!, is secured to the leg !3 of case It! by means of a bolt 25 and a spacer 21. This bracket supports the cutter proper, which is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral A, and the operating mechanism B by means of which said cutter is operated.

Formed on the base 23 are two bearings 28 and 29, in which is journaled a shaft 35. This shaft is driven in any suitable manner from the transmission of the device which is situated below the pan [5 and which has not been illustrated in the drawings. It can readily be comprehended that any drive means for rotating the shaft may be provided. Rotatably mounted on the shaft 3! is a sleeve 32 which carries all of the operating parts of the operating mechanism B which effect movement of the parts of the cutter and which will be presently more fully described. Sleeve 32 is constructed with a jaw clutch member 33, which is adapted to be engaged with another jaw clutch member fi l splined to the shaft 3!. Any desired construction may be used for operating the jaw clutch member St, a knob 35 being shown in the drawings.

The cutter A, as best shown in Fig. 3, com prises a cylinder 35 constructed with a flange 3? issuing laterally from the same near its upper end. The cylinder 36 is provided with a cylindrical bore 38 forming a cylinder chamber into which the dough is received and which is disposed with its axis vertical. The lower end of the cylinder 36, which is designated at 39 is open and the cylindrical bore 38 is exposed at its lower end to the exterior.

The upper end of the cylinder 36 is constructed with a tube 4| which is integral therewith and which extends upwardly beyond the flange 31. This tube is provided with a bore 42, smaller in diameter than the bore 38 which extends down into the cylinder 36 and past the flange 31. In the protruding portion of the tube 4| are provided a number of inlet ports 53 by means of which dough may enter the said tube and eventually be received within the cylinder chamber 38 of cylinder 36.

The flange 31 is constructed with a leg 44 which is provided with a foot 45 at the lower portion of the same. This foot rests upon a support 46 formed on the base 23 of bracket 2i. These parts are secured together by means of bolts 4'5.

superimposing the cylinder 38 is a hopper 48 which is constructed with a throat 49 through which the dough, contained in the hopper, is directed into the ports 43. At the lowermost portion of the hopper 48 the same is constructed with a flange 51 which is bolted to the flange 31 of cylinder 36 by means of a bolt 52.

Slidably mounted in the bore 38, of cylinder 35, is an annular piston 53. This piston fits closely within the walls of cylinder 35 and is provided with a bore 54 of the same diameter as the bore 42 and which is concentric therewith. The piston 53 is provided at its extreme lower end with a groove 55, by means of which the same may be reciprocated and is adapted to move in a vertical direction by means to be presently described in detail.

The upper end of the tube it is internally threaded at 56 to receive a cap 5?. This cap has issuing from it a spindle 53 which terminates at the lower end of the same in a head 59. The

spindle 58 is constructed with a threaded end 6| which screws into the cap 5'! at the center of the same. By means of this construction, the head 59 is removably mounted with respect to the cylinder 36. The head 59 is concentrically arranged with respect to the bore 55 and the bore 38.

Slidably mounted in the bore 5 5, of piston 53 and in the bore 62 of the tube M, is a sleeve 82. This sleeve is provided at its upper end with a beveled edge 63 which forms a valve member cooperating with the ports 13 to control the flow of dough into the interior of the cylinder 33. Sleeve 62 is provided with an internal passageway S i through which dough may pass when the edge 53 of said sleeve is below the uppermost edges of the ports 43. Formed in the sleeve 62, near the upper portion of the same, are a number of ports 65, similar to the ports 43. These ports are arranged to communicate with the cylinder chamber 38 so that, when the piston 53 is operated, dough may be drawn into the same from the passageway E i and returned to said passage-way. It will be noted that the ports 55 are of sufficient length so that the cylinder chamber 38 is at all times in communication with the passageway Ed.

The lower end of the sleeve 32 is constructed with a beveled edge 56 which is similar to the edge but which is beveled in the opposite direction. This edge is, when in its uppermost position, spaced from the head 59 to form a discharge opening 95 therebetween and is adapted to cooperate with the head 53 to control the extrusion of dough from said opening. The beveled edge 61": and the head 59 form a die mechanism by means of which the extrusion of dough from the cutter is controlled so that the dough is formed into annular formations which are severed from the mass when the sleeve 52 is lowered to a position below the die-head 59. For operating the said sleeve, a groove 5 is provided in the lowermost portion of the same and immediately above the edge 56 which groove serves the same purpose as the groove 55.

The piston 53 is reciprocated by a construction, best shown in Figs. i and 2. The leg id, of cylinder 35, is constructed with a boss 53 which projects outwardly therefrom on both sides. This boss bored to receive a shaft 39. Pivoted on this shaft is a lever 'H which is constructed with two arms '32 and 13. The arm "i3 is forked, as designated at i i, and is provided at its ends with pins which enter the slot 55 in piston 53. As the lever ii is oscillated, piston 53 is raised and lowered.

Mounted on the sleeve 32 is a cam 76. This cam travels with the sleeve 32 and is adapted to engage a roller ii on the end of the arm 72 of lever ii. The cam it is constructed with a gradually outwardly spiralling cam surface 18 with rapidly inwardly spiralling cam surface The said cam. is further formed with cylindrical surfaces 53 and H35 between the surfaces is and it). The shaft Si is driven in the irection shown by the arrow in Fig. 2. When the roller i? engages the cam surface 78, dough gradually drawn into the cylinder chamber 38. When the roller engages the cam surface iii, the roller l? moves inwardly toward the shaft 3| and the dough is rapidly extruded from the cylinder chamber 3% Movement of the roller 11 inwardly is accomplished by of a tension coil spring 8i which is hooked to a pin 82 on the arm I2 of lever 'II and toa stud 83 issuing from the bracket 2 I.

The sleeve 62 is operated in a manner similar to the piston 53. Pivoted on the shaft 69is a lever 84 which is constructed with two arms 85 and 86. The arm 86 is forked, as designated at 81, and is provided at its end with pins 88 which engage the groove 55 of sleeve 62. The arm 85 of lever 85 is provided with a roller 89 which is adapted to engage a cam 9|. Cam 9| is constructed with a circular cam surface 92, a gradually outwardly spiralling cam surface 93, and a rapidly inwardly spiralling cam surface 94. The cam 9| also has a cylindrical surface 90 between the surfaces 94 and 93. Whenthe roller 39 engages the cam surface 93, the sleeve 62 is moved downwardly in a manner to close the opening 95 formed between the beveled edge 69 of said sleeve and the head 59. When the roller rides on the cam surface 92, the sleeve 62 is maintained in such position. When the roller 99 engages the cam surface 93, the sleeve 62 is moved upwardly to become disengaged from the head 59, whereby the opening 95 is again formed for the extrusion of dough between said sleeve and head. Such movement is procured by means of a tension coil spring 95, which is attached to a pin 91, similar to the pin 82, and to a stud, similar to the stud 83, which has not been shown in the drawings. When the roller rides on the cam surface 99, sleeve 62 is momentarily maintained in its uppermost position to cause the opening 95 to persist for a short period of time.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Assume the hopper 48 to be filled with dough and the sleeve 62 to be lowermost and the piston 53 uppermost, as shown in Fig. 2. Rotation of the shaft 3I and sleeve 32 in the direction indicated by the arrow causes the sleeve 62 to remain in its lowermost position and the cam roller TI to climb the cam surface I8. Due to the length of the sleeve 52, when the opening 95 is closed, ports 53 are open. As the lever II oscillates, piston 53 is drawn downwardly and dough is drawn into the cylinder chamber 38- of cylinder 38. The dough, in traveling into this chamber, passes through the ports 43, through the passageway 54 and through the ports 65 and into said cylinder chamber. Travel of dough continues until the roller TI reaches the cylindrical surface 98 of cam 75. The roller 89 now travels inwardly along the cam surface 94, being operated by spring 96 and moves the sleeve 62 upwardly. The parts are now as shown in Fig. 3. As the sleeve 32 continues to rotate,. roller I1 follows along the cam surface I9 and the piston 53 is moved rapidly upward. This causes the dough, contain-ed within the annular cylinder chamber 39, to be extruded back through the ports 65 along the passageway 64 and to be finally extruded through the opening 95 in annular formation. During such movement roller 89 is traveling along cam surface 99. As soon ascam roller 89 engages cam surface 93 the sleeve 52 is immediately lowered and the dough formation cut off and freed from the mass of dough within the passageway 64. The dough formation then drops from the cutter and is deposited into the cooking liquid within the receptacle I5. It will be noted that roller 89 travels along the cam surface 99, while the dough is being extruded from the cylinder chamber 38. In this manner the opening 95 is maintained while dough is being extruded. After the forming. and severing of each portion of the dough, the operations are repeated and further portions of dough cut off and formed in the same manner.

When it is desired to clean the machine the springsv SI and 96 are first removed and thereafter the bolts 41 disconnected. The entire hopper and cutter may now be disengaged from the machine. As soon as the cam rollers I1 and 89 become free from the cams from which they operate, the pins I5 and 88 may be slid out of the grooves 55 and 61, whereupon the sleeve I52 and piston 53 may be drawn longitudinally out of the device. By unscrewing the cap 51 through a screw driver slot 99, provided for the purpose, the said cap 57, spindle 58 and head 59 may also be removed from the device.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of the invention in which the valve mechanism for controlling the dough into the cylinder chamber 39 is slightly different. Inasmuch as certain of the parts are identical in construction, the description thereof will not be repeated and the same reference numerals, preceded by the digit I will be used to designate corresponding parts.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 the tube 4| is dispensed with and a bridge I4! used in place thereof. This bridge provides openings M3- to either side of the same and through which dough may pass into the cylinder chamber I33. The sleeve IE2 is, in this case, considerably shorter and constructed without ports. per end of the piston I53 may be beveled, as indicated at I56, orthe same may be left square, if desired. Similarly the upper edge I53 of piston I62 may likewise be beveled or left square, if

desired. The bridge MI is tapped to receive the threaded end IiiI of spindle 558 which carries the head I55 which cooperates with the beveled edge Iefi of sleeve I62.

Formed at the upper end of the cylinder chamber I39 is a valve seat I35 which is adapted to be engaged by a valve 235 of the pop-pet type. This valve is mounted on a tubular valve stem 292 which is slidably mounted on the spindle I 58. The valve stem 252 is screwed into a bridge 2553 which is formed upon the interior of the sleeve I92 and which provides passageways 25 t therein for bringing the cylinder chamber I38 into communication with the passageway Hit within said sleeve. Mounted within the sleeve I62, is a sta- The uptionary tube 285 which formed upon the interior with a bridge 2% attached to the spindle I58. This tube is constructed with a passageway 2%! lying in continuation of the passageway I54. The bridge 2% is formed with passageways 288 which bring the passageway Ifl into communication with the passageway 27.

The operation of this form of the invention is identical with that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Instead of the upper end of the sleeve 62 forming a sleeve valve, operating in conjunction with the ports 43, the valve ZUI forms a poppet valve, operating in conjunction with the seat 39. The tube 295, within the sleeve i632, reduces the friction between the dough and the moving parts, when the sleeve is operated.

The advantages of my invention are manifest. By use of the annular piston, dough is uniformly drawn into the cylinder chamber from the hopper. By arranging the parts with the piston actuating means at the lower end of the piston, a construction is provided whereby the piston may be easily removed from the cylinder without difficulty. Likewise by arranging the sleeve with the operating mechanism at the lowermost end of the same, the sleeve can also be easily removed fromthe cutter. When the various parts are disassembled, the machine becomes extremely easy to clean.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a vertical cylinder chamber open at its ends, valve means at the upper end of the cylinder for controlling the flow of dough into the cylinder chamber, an annular piston within said cylinder and die means disposed within said piston projecting through the lower end of said -cylinder and controlling the extrusion of dough from said cylinder chamber.

2. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a vertical cylinder chamber open at its ends, valve means at the upper end of the cylinder for controlling the fiow of dough into the cylinder chamber, an annular piston within said cylinder, a reciprocable sleeve within said piston projecting downwardly therefrom and through the lower open end of said cylinder chamber and means cooperating with said sleeve for controlling the extrusion of dough from said cylinder chamber.

3. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a vertical cylinder chamber open at its ends, a support extending across the upper end of said cylinder and providing openings into the upper end of the cylinder chamber, a spindle attached to said support and extending downwardly through the lower end of the cylinder, an annular piston within said cylinder, a sleeve slidable within said piston and extending outwardly through the lower end of the cylinder and below said piston, a head on the lower end of said spindle adapted to control in conjunction with said sleeve the extrusion of dough from said cylinder chamber and valve means at the upper end of the cylinder chamber operated by said sleeve and controlling the flow of dough into said cylinder chamber.

4. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a vertical cylinder chamber open at its ends, a support extending across the upper end of said cylinder and providing openings into the upper end of the cylinder chamber, a spindle attached to said support and extending downwardly through the lower end of the cylinder, an annular piston within said cylinder, a sleeve slidable within said piston and extending outwardly through the lower end of the cylinder and below said piston, a head on the lower end of said spindle adapted to control in conjunction with said sleeve the extrusion of dough from said cylinder chamber, a valve seat formed at the upper end of said cylinder, a poppet valve slidable on said spindle and attached to said sleeve, said valve controlling the flow of dough into the upper end of the cylinder.

5. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a vertical cylinder chamber open at its ends, a support extending across the upper end of said cylinder and providing openings into the upper end of the cylinder chamber, a spindle attached to said support and extending downwardly through the lower end of the cylinder, an annular piston within said cylinder, a sleeve slidable within said piston and extending outwardly through the lower end of the cylinder and below said piston, a head on the lower end of said spindle adapted to control in conjunction with said sleeve the extrusion of dough from said cylinder cham ber, said sleeve having a part movable past the openings at the upper end of the cylinder for controlling the flow of dough into the cylinder cham-- her and ports in said sleeve for bringing the interior thereof into communication with said cylinder chamber.

6. A dough cutter comprising a dough receptacle, a cylinder below said dough receptacle and having a vertical cylinder chamber open at its ends, valve means at the upper end of the cylinder for controlling the flow of dough into the cylinder chamber, an annular piston insertable into said cylinder chamber through the lower end of said cylinder, laterally extending means engaging the lower end of said piston at a locality below said dough receptacle for reciprocating the piston and means within said piston for controlling the extrusion of dough from said cylinder chamber and through said piston.

'7. In a dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a vertical cylinder chamber open at its ends, valve means at the upper end of the cylinder for controlling the flow of dough into the cylinder chamber, an annular piston insertable into said cylinder chamber through the lower end of said cylinder, means engaging the lower end of said piston and disposed below said cylinder for reciprocating said piston and means within said piston for controlling the extrusion of dough from said cylinder chamber.

8. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a cylinder chamber, means for leading dough into said cylinder chamber, a vertical reciprocating sleeve having a bore therein adapted to communicate with said cylinder chamber, a head for cooperation with the lower end of said sleeve and adapted to control the extrusion of dough therefrom, the bore in said sleeve providing a continuous passageway between said cylinder chamber and said head through which dough travels during the extrusion of the same from the cutter.

9. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a vertical cylinder chamber open at its ends, valve means at the upper end of the cylinder for controlling the flow of dough into the cylinder chamber, an annular piston within said cylinder having a dough passageway therethrough movable wholly within said cylinder toward and from the upper end of said cylinder chamber, means for controlling the extrusion of dough therefrom and communicating with said cylinder chamber at a locality above said piston.

10. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a vertical cylinder chamber, an annular piston within said cylinder chamber, valve means for controlling the flow of dough into the upper end of said cylinder chamber, a sleeve within said annular piston forming a dough passageway therethrough and extending through the lower end of the piston and means cooperating with said sleeve for controlling the extrusion of dough from the lower end of said cylinder chamber.

11. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a vertical cylinder chamber, an annular piston within said cylinder chamber, valve means for controlling the flow into the upper end of said cylinder chamber, a sleeve within said annular piston and extending through the lower end of the same and means cooperating with said sleeve for controlling the extrusion of dough from the lower end of said cylinder chamber, and a tube within said sleeve and along which said sleeve slides, said tube conducting the dough to the lower end of the sleeve.

12. A dough cutter comprising a cylinder having a. vertical cylinder chamber open at its ends, a support extending across the upper end of said cylinder and providing openings into the upper end of the cylinder chamber, a spindle attached to said support and extending downwardly through the lower end of the cylinder, an annular piston within said cylinder, a sleeve slidable within said piston and extending outwardly through the lower end of the cylinder and below said piston, a head on the lower end of said spindle adapted to control in conjunction with said sleeve the extrusion of dough from said cylinder chamber and valve means at the upper end of the cylinder chamber operated by said sleeve and controlling the flow of dough into said cylinder chamber, and a tube within said sleeve secured to said spindle and conducting dough from said cylinder chamber to the lower end of said sleeve.

13. A dough cutter comprising a hopper provided with a throat having at its lower end a discharge opening, means forming a dough chamber below said throat, and communicating with said hopper through said discharge opening, a valve seat at the lowermost portion of said throat and encircling said discharge opening, a poppet valve having a valve head adapted to seat against said seat, said valve head supporting the dough above said discharge opening, a valve controlled outlet communicating with said dough chamber and means creating a suction below said valve seat for drawing dough into said chamber through said opening, and for discharging it through said outlet.

14. A dough cutter comprising a hopper provided with a throat having at its lower end a discharge opening, means forming a dough chamber below said throat, and communicating with said hopper through said discharge opening, a valve seat at the lowermost portion of said throat and encircling said discharge opening, a poppet valve having a valve head adapted to seat against said seat, said valve head supporting the dough above said discharge opening, a valve controlled outlet communicating with said dough chamber and a piston below said valve seat for drawing dough into said chamber through said opening and for discharging it through said outlet, said piston being concentric with said valve head.

ALEXANDER S. T. LAGAARD. 

